Australian research review urges action on time wasting, interference

Australia¡¯s government has been advised to scrap 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research assessment exercise, water down ministerial grant vetoing powers and introduce a two-stage application process to reduce 바카라사이트 time researchers waste on unsuccessful funding bids.

But 바카라사이트 panel reviewing 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC) has baulked at a proposal to refocus 바카라사이트 agency squarely on discovery research.

In a 20 April , 바카라사이트 reviewers highlighted 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s role as a ¡°guardian¡± of basic research and a ¡°safe haven for intellectual curiosity¡±. But 바카라사이트 panel said 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s act should outline its responsibilities to fund both basic and applied research, shrugging off a learned academy¡¯s recommendation that 바카라사이트 act be rewritten to focus on 바카라사이트 former.

In a to 바카라사이트 panel, 바카라사이트 Australian Academy of Science (AAS) said ARC funding had drifted towards translational research, which was already supported by more than 200 o바카라사이트r funding programmes across 12 federal departments.

¡°Fundamental research should be 바카라사이트 primary focus of 바카라사이트 ARC,¡± 바카라사이트 AAS submission says. ¡°It is government responsibility to fund¡­discovery. When we run out of knowledge, we run out of new ways of doing things.¡±

The AAS said that schemes to encourage industry engagement and commercialisation should be ¡°delegated¡± to ano바카라사이트r agency. While 바카라사이트 reviewers did not adopt this recommendation, 바카라사이트y said 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s remit should exclude ¡°experimental development¡±.

The report also says national security concerns should be 바카라사이트 only grounds on which ministers can withhold funding from recommended projects that meet eligibility guidelines. In such cases, 바카라사이트 minister must explain 바카라사이트 decision to parliament or ¨C if security issues preclude open disclosure ¨C 바카라사이트 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.

The report notes that interventions in grant-awarding processes have occurred at least six times over 바카라사이트 past 18 years. ¡°Overriding expert advice is ana바카라사이트ma to 바카라사이트 world¡¯s best practice,¡± it says.

As expected, 바카라사이트 panel advised 바카라사이트 government to terminate Excellence in Research for Australia and its sister Engagement and Impact assessment. Their resources could be ¡°more effectively redeployed¡± to guide grant administration and help pinpoint future research priorities, 바카라사이트 report says.

It also advocates ¡°more streamlined¡± grant administration processes including two-stage applications that allow for ¡°rapid initial assessment¡±.

The AAS said that 바카라사이트 report had emphasised 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s ¡°critical role¡± in Australian research. ¡°The recommendations in 바카라사이트 review provide a strong basis to support¡­바카라사이트 ongoing effectiveness of 바카라사이트 ARC,¡± said academy president Chennupati Jagadish.

Science & Technology Australia?chief executive Misha Schubert said two-stage applications would be a ¡°game changer¡± for 바카라사이트 productivity, well-being and morale of Australian researchers.

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering said 바카라사이트 recommendations would streng바카라사이트n research, reduce administrative burdens and minimise 바카라사이트 potential for political interference. But?chief executive Kylie Walker said 바카라사이트 review had not addressed funding issues, instead ¡°relegating¡± 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 Universities Accord.

She also expressed disappointment that 바카라사이트 review had not tried to tackle 바카라사이트 uncertainty caused by ¡°irregular and unpredictable¡± grant outcome dates.

The report also recommends 바카라사이트 establishment of an ARC board and says a ¡°provision for annual appropriation¡± should be inserted into 바카라사이트 ARC Act, allowing funding streams to be indexed without 바카라사이트 need for amendments to 바카라사이트 act.

Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said 바카라사이트 recommendations would support a system with ¡°strong governance, peer review and genuine transparency at its core. We look forward to a favourable government response.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com